Chapter 1
During our ten years together, Kendric Holloway and I had been divorced ten times.
The eleventh happened while he was out ring shopping with his mistress.
“Julie’s pregnant. The divorce is just to make her happy,” he told me. “We’ll remarry in eight months.
“During this time, you’ll have to stay elsewhere, but make sure to bring our meals on time, three times a day.
“Oh, and get certified as a babysitter. Julie’s too delicate–taking care of the baby is too much for her.”
Holding the divorce certificate, I simply nodded.
As I turned to leave, Kendric’s friend snickered.
“Ken, I’m impressed. You’ve really got her under your thumb.”
Kendric smirked. “That’s nothing. She’s just cheap.
“Even if I don’t remarry her, she’ll still raise my kid and be my side piece willingly.”
I said nothing and sent a message to the man waiting for me.
“The divorce is final. When are we getting married?”
***
His reply came almost instantly.
“Tomorrow. I’ll be on the first flight back.”
Seconds later, an 8.5–million–dollar transfer hit my account.
The note read: “Get yourself something nice.”
A small smile touched my lips. I slipped my phone into my pocket and turned to leave.
Kendric caught that smile and stopped me with a frown.
“Catriona, why were you smiling? Don’t tell me you’ve lost your mind from heartbreak.”
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Chapter 1
Logically, I should have been heartbroken.
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The first time Kendric asked for a divorce over the new intern, Juliette Firth, I was shattered, crying for days.
I even knelt before him in front of all our friends and family, begging him to stay.
And when that didn’t work, I slit my wrists. But he still didn’t change his mind.
However, this time, I eyed him calmly.
“Congrats. You’re finally going to be a father.”
Kendric nodded dismissively.
“Don’t worry,” he then said, voice flat. “Once the baby’s born, we’ll remarry.
“As long as you play your part, I’ll even have the child call you Mom in public.”
Over the past nine years, I’d heard similar promises too many times.
It all began when Kendric became obsessed with Juliette.
He lavished her with gifts worth 160 thousand dollars, yet she still refused to be his mistress.
So he divorced me without hesitation.
After he took her virginity, he showed me photos of them in bed, gloating.
“See? She’s different. Pure. Fresh.”
From then on, Kendric became addicted to the thrill.
One time, they got carried away in a snowy cabin, and he made me trek for ten kilometers in a blizzard to bring her birth control pills.
When Juliette was in a bad mood, he forced me to kneel and bark like a dog,
Whenever she was angry with me–whether because I was late delivering something or because my barks weren’t loud enough–he’d divorce me just to keep her happy.
Then he’d secretly remarry me to keep the family alliance intact.
After nine years of this, I felt nothing now.
I walked toward the door, expressionless.
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Just then, Juliette’s shrill voice rang out behind me.
“I don’t like any of these rings. I want the one on Catriona’s finger!”
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“Alright, sweetheart, don’t be upset. I’ll get it for you right now,” Kendric said, his cold demeanor in- stantly melting away.
He ripped the ring off my finger and carefully held it out to her.
The diamonds cut into my
skin.
And the ten–carat yellow topaz gleamed red with my blood.
Juliette glanced at the ring with a frown and tossed it away.
“It’s gross.”
Kendric wasn’t the least bit upset, just soothing her patiently.
Juliette wasn’t appeased until he promised her the family ruby ring.
Fighting back tears, I bent to pick up the ring–my late mother’s keepsake–shaking all over.
But Kendric suddenly stepped on my
hand.
“This is your fault, Catriona Whitworth! You upset Julie. Fix this, or you’re no longer part of this fami- ly!”
A chill swept over me.
Not because I couldn’t bear to lose him, but because I knew how cruel he could be.
Once, when I refused to wash Juliette’s lingerie, she threw a tantrum, ignoring Kendric for days.
Fuming over his unfulfilled desires, Kendric stripped me naked and locked me out on the balcony,
While they had sex all night, I stood out there shivering, eventually collapsing from a high fever.
But Kendric wouldn’t let anyone take me to the hospital. And when I finally came to, he even forced me to clean up their mess.
Recalling that, I lowered my head in resignation and sank into a deep bow.
“I’m sorry. It’s all my fault.”
Suddenly, someone kicked me from behind.
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I stumbled, slamming my head into a counter, and a large bump instantly rose on my forehead.
The pain was so sharp that tears welled up in my eyes.
I lay on the floor, trembling.
Kendric nudged me with his shoe.
“Drop the act! It was just a little bump,” he hissed.
“Forget it. I can’t be bothered with this. Tomorrow you’re coming to my grandpa’s place with me. Tell them you want that ring. Don’t you dare slip up!”
With that, he hurried away, holding Juliette’s hand.
It took a long time for me to get up.
Bits of gravel were embedded in
my skin.
I staggered to the curb, trying to hail a cab to the hospital.
Suddenly, a car swerved toward me, and Juliette was behind the wheel.
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